Seventeen here
by Ace5andBlad3s
Summary: The Proteus project is a competitive agency, another silver bullet to win the war.Seventeen is found in the middle of investigations against Project Freelancer. Fighting Insurrection she can handle dealing with, freelancers who just want to figure her out is way beyond her ability of control. This is her story.
1. Chapter 1 Proteus

Seventeen pulled her silver hair into a ponytail and headed into the stations office. Agent or no she had just completed a mission and there was a ton of paperwork to do! She hated this part of the job more than she did being in the project. Even more than the fact hardly anyone talked to her out of fear she would whip their ass and that barely got to her.

"Seventeen!" A voice came from outside her office door.

"Come in Twelve, it's open" Seventeen mumbled planting her head on her desk.

Twelve was one of the projects top five agents along with Seventeen. The project was offically known as the Proteus program. All workers asked and volunteer if and when they are good enough on their own to be noticed by the Proteus agents.

In better words to describe it. A type of the project where you had to prove yourself and everything you had everyday and time you were on a mission, otherwise you got left behind. They had over fifty agents here all trained to be the best and the most competitive. Another silver bullet to win the war that was still untested.

And as a cover for all agents they were assigned a number instead of their real names. For example Seventeen wasn't her real name it was just to protect their families and friends if they were captured and tortured that they didn't have anything on their co-operatives.

Seventeen knew when she had been asked to join the off-the-books operations military program at the young tender age of fifteen what was to happen to her. Training every morning no special treatment despite being one of the youngest there. Weapons mastery had to be known as well as been able to identify who was was a friend or foe. Not to mention hand to hand...

All that training, but she wasn't allowed on the battlefield until she knew everything that was deemed necessary to place her there. Her real name banished, her life as a civillian destroyed, Seventeen's contact with family minium, if she had any that was.

Snapping back to reality instead of daydream she looked at Twelve. "What did I do now?" she asked.

"Nothing I just wanted to see how long it took for you to freak out. Also Zero wants to speak to you. It's important and he's mad!" He said. Zero started the project he was the head agent and director of the project.

"Always is" she returned.

Seventeen sighed standing up and marched herself down to the stations observation deck. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" She asked, bracing herself for the worst. Saluting as she should then going at ease.

"Yes Seventeen, please take a seat" he indicated to two chairs that had been set up.

She did as ordered feeling a bit odd, last time they had been casual was to... oh no! Not again! She would refuse point blank. "Sir if this is for-" He cut her off with a motion of his hand.

"Seventeen this is needed your one of my best. After what happened with you in training with the sargent...I don't expect any less or more of you now from what happened then," that made Seventeen feel a pang from her stomach.

She still didn't see why she was here. And she definately wasn't sure why her boss would bring up her homicidal training sargent. That bastard stared it she ended it.

"Sir I still don't understand, what has this to do with me?" she asked. Seventeen hated leaving the Proteain station

"There are some suspicious rumours flying around the project Freelancer and no one knows for sure what the intentions are. And the UNSC are saying they cannot use their agents and have written to ask if we can send in one of ours" Seventeen knew what he meant. This way no-one relating to the UNSC could be hurt during the investigations, it would only lead back to Proteus.

"And you want me?" Seventeen questioned.

"Exactly" He said. "Report to the satilites hangerbay first thing tommorow that's when the Mother docks and Seventeen your armour is being changed you need to go down to the armoury and choose a color" he added before leaving.

'Great!' She rolled her eyes, 'I think I need a coffee before I decide to chose which color is the new black' Seventeen mentally added.

Following orders she quickly made her way there. A giant room one of the walls filled with different models of armour the other side with spare parts, paint, boxes of add-ons and tools. Which one? Oh the choices, the choices...

"Can't pick one, Seventeen?" a voice called.

"No luck Twenty, too many to pick!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah they are all a thing of beauty" he said after shooing out on of the staff.

"I'm jelous you get to stay here and I go out and get my ass kicked!" Seventeen crossed her arms and leaned against a bench still looking at the armour.

"Let me guess on a mission and you aren't allowed your regular armour, it has to be light and easy to move in none of the big gun crap. I have just the thing" he said leaving her puzzled. He headed out the back into the supply room, then came back carrying a box marked 'prototype' covered in dust, she raised an eyebrow.

"I know but there is a reason, this armour never got tested because as soon as it was made so was a second set which is heavier and bulkier but got approved instead of this. I kept the origonal set for years" he said using a crowbar to open it.

Camo green ODST armour was in it no dust and perfectly working the UNSC logo on the front, but Twenty said Seventeen could paint over it in the same green. She smiled at the thought of painting over it. Truth be told Seventeen never like the UNSC or Project Freelancer too many rules and way too many barriers for them to not get exposed with.

Two hours of respraying her armour she started to yawn, 'time to go to sleep' she thought falling asleep on the bench.


	2. Chapter 2 Introductions

Seventeen was woken up with a shake. Twenty and Twelve were standing over her. "What time is it?" she yawned.

"Mother of Invention just docked you better get down to the hanger before introductions start or Zero's gonna kill you" Twelve informed.

"I'll finsih your armour" Twenty said grabbing the half finished piece from last night.

Seventeen checked her hair was nice and neat while running down. She was so late! She slid straight into the massive hanger near the airlock where the Mother had been docked to. It was about to ope she bolted next to Zero who looked calm and trying not to laugh at her.

"I'm here!" she blurted aloud to Zero stopping herself from slipping right next to him.

"You're late and I thought you'd dress nice for meeting new people" he said looking over her appearance.

"I thought I said no camera's" she retaliated nodding to the security camera in the corner. "So I guess we're even" she added.

What was the penalty for being a smartmouth to you commanding officer? She had no clue but was sure it was going to come along any day now. The airlocks had opened after being declared airtight.

A man with glasses followed by a black African-American man came in. They were followed by six or seven other soldier in armour. They saluted standing at attention. Seventeen joined them on the salute. The two agency representitives stood in parrell lines across from eachother.

"I am the Director of the Proteus program or known as Zero among my men this is Seventeen she is one of our top operatives. She is the one who we are sending with you, please feel free to look around the station. Seventeen will be happy to answer any questions you will surely have" Zero introduced her.

Seventeen stiffened. They. Were. Looking. Around. Her. Home!

She wasn't sure whether to be outraged and slap Zero straight out the airlock or whether to kick their asses instead, although now she thought about it seven onto one, there was only a slim chance she could win that.

They took that as dissmissal. Seventeen was about to get up and leave but was stopped by one of the freelancers. "Who's named after a number?" One smirked taunting. A femae in purple armour with sea green tips she identified.

"Who the hell names themselves after states?" Seventeen responded obviously not in the mood for a fight or anything related to the subject of a fight.

Seventeen turned and left despite thier many questions she approached a computer and started on the PA.

"Twelve get you ass down here! Zero put me incharge of being a tour guide and I don't wanna do it!" She called.

Getting a response she knew was going to cause a fight. "So do I why should I do it?" he returned.

"Because I asked nicely" Seventeen responded feeling the need to hit something fast.

Despite trying to shake someone who was following her, Seventeen felt really annoyed. Why was she like this? Entering the training room she selected a holo-graphic course changing the seen of the grey room to an insurrectional base. She had run this hundreds of times before but this felt different it felt...real.

She stopped the simulation. No way could she do this. She still felt something following her and decided to go to the mess hall. Seventeen entered at what could be described as hell of a time. One of the Proteus agents Seventyfive was in a fight with a freelancer in white armour with an EVA helmet.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the watchers both Mother of Invention and Proteus chanted.

"What the fucking hell is going on here?" She yelled demanding to be told the whole room went quiet.

"Well?" she demanded waiting. No one was stupid enought to pick fights on the station with her in the room, they well and truely knew why.

"SeventyFive started it" one of the Proteus agents called from the crowd.

"Seventyfive?" She raised an eyebrow to him.

"Idiot was-" She lost it. Seventy-five was going to make an excuse everyone knew it already if he weren't such a good field agent he would have been kicked off ages ago.

"I don't care what he was doing. Sit down! Shut up! Get your food then leave! I expect better from you all to have encouraged this!" She firmly said.

"And If you do it again, you won't be sitting down or talking for a month when I am through with you" she threatened before leaving.


	3. Chapter 3 Getting ready

Why had she acted like that? That wasn't her, when she got mad she blocked it, not letting it use her. Seventeen made her way to the armoury to try her gear on. "Honey I'm home" she called out jokingly.

"It'll take a few hours to dry how did the freelancers go?" Twenty asked standing up from the painting table.

"She threatened almost every agent in the room because Seventyfive pissed her off" Twelve said roaring with laughter when he came in. Seventeen glared at him.

"He deserved it, most agents know you're the only one who can make him back down from something like that. And if you hadn't, Zero would have interferred if he weren't so busy with the Director of freelancers" Twelve said defensivly. They both kew how good Zero was with a gun.

"Look I don't know what happened but that!" She pointed out the door, "That wasn't me!" She defiantly refused his gloat.

"Yeah we know. You totally flipped out," he laughed. "So?" he asked.

"So what?" Seventeen retalitated.

"When are you going?" he asked.

"In an hour they Mother stacks up for supplies and I go with them, don't forget to write to me. I have to pack" Seventeen answered standing up and leaving.

"Don't forget my party in two days!" He called after her.

Approaching her own room which actually used to be an old scanning gondala she had modified by removing the computers and made a bed out of the seats with Twenty, he found the whole thing funny and a challenge that she liked her room dangling in the air.

Seventeen packed most of her clothes seeing as she only ad five sets, being an agent never let you have much pocessions. Quickly swinging her pack over her shoulder she made her way to the hanger and locked her room up tightly.

"Tammy lock up tight" she said. The AI which she had based on her appeared. "No one in or out unless it's me" she said firmly.

A blue and purle holographc women with straight hair wearing a long-sleeved crossover top and simple tracksuit pants with no shoes came up "Copy that Seventeen, may I ask-"

"Don't you dare look or get curious Tammy. Zero will get pissed!" Seventeen warned over her. Seventeen turned and headed down the stairwell that linked her 'room' to the station.

"I'm gonna miss Twelve's party" she smirked leaving.

* * *

"Tammy lock up tight" They heard her call.

"She has an AI!" South was outraged.

Twelve was there talking to them he saw Seventeen leave her room. He knew Tammy because he helped Seventeen get her created in the first place. Seventeen needed someone to watch over her when she was off the field. Tammy was an oppertunity to make that happen.

"One she has to, with her skills you'd be careful to. Two Tammy is based on her so Tammy will only listen to Seventeen on her orders. And three sometimes I think Seventeen just needs someone with her past it's kind of hard not for her to push people away" He defended Seventeen.

"What do you mean her past?" Carolina demanded.

"Up to her not to me to tell you" Twelve answered.

"You can tell thm Twelve I don't think she has a damn about anything anymore" Twenty came in carryin a box full of her armour.

"But thats her-" Twenty cut him off.

"Her choice yes. But you know she needs to watch her back and it'll be best if they know why," Twenty calmly said.

"Well we're waiting" South asked rudely.

"Seventeen's training sargent... was a wackjob homicidal maniac. He nearly killed everyone who went through his training and almost did it to her. If it weren't fot the fact she got to him first, she wouldn't be this careful with herself these days or even alive" Twelve answered bitterly.

"She what!" Carolina asked as if she hadn't heard right.

"She killed her sarge, before he killed her. The first day we met she said she didn't have friends, they slowed her down, because she destroys that. And nearly herself in the process of it," Twelve felt be betrayed Seventeen.

"Process of what?" Seventeen asked approaching them.

"Nothing how's Tammy?" He asked.

"Geting to nosy for her own good, I got to talk to Zero okay, but don't leave without me" She said before leaving.

"I won't" he responded. She hated being alone when that's what she did first and always.

* * *

Seventeen remembered how she ended up here sure it wasn't a happy ride but then her life never had been. The files said fifteen, that was bullshit and she knew it. It was his fault she was here. That damn bastard wanted to place her here. He gave her up and she never let that anger go.

Just a child when she entered the station! Not known but hiddden to them in plain sight. The thought of knowing what they were going to do to her made Seventeen sick. The expirements and training.

What was she training for? Something hit her head and she remembered.

Him!

She was training to be his worst nightmare!

And she was going to be!


	4. Chapter 4 Mother of Invention

Seventeen climbed aboard the mother of Invention. It was a lot bigger on the inside than out.

"Impressed?" Voice came beside her.

"Caboose!" She ran up and hugged him. The blue man in ODST gear returned it happily.

"Hey Sharrina" he returned.

"Seventeen now, Caboose" she corrected him.

"I like your other name better Proteus girl, hey hav-" he was cut off by a yell.

"Caboose not over there! Over here you fucktard!" came the voice of an angry women.

"Oh oh, here comes trouble, I'll see you later yeah?" He asked.

"Sure" she smiled. The Director had a map uploaded onto her tac pad. She had also secretly taken Tammy with her, if they checked back at the station it would say that she was locked up offlined and pulled from her computer in Seventeen's room.

Seventeen had a backup plan if investigations failed. Break and enter the databases.

Heading towards her room she went down the east wings. Seventeen accidently bumped into someone. She kept her head low and tried to continue walking ahead but was pulled back by the freelancer. She pulled her arm out of his grip.

"Ah it's you old girl, splendid. I was wondering when I was going to get a chance to talk to you. The name is Wyoming," a british accent of a man with an almost cartoonish like mustache stopped her.

"Seventeen, pleasures all mine" She said.

"May I ask what are you doing in the freelancer quarters?" he querried.

"Freelancer? I thought this was one of the staff area's? The map must be wrong" She said going over it.

"Nope the map is quite right. You're not bunking with staff my dear," he said peering over her shoulder.

"Don't call me dear!" She snapped following it's directions.

"Ah and a temper there too I see" he observed.

She folded the map up. "My temper is what got my partner killed. So back off!" She warned.

"And a spirit to." He contiued.

Seventeen ignored him and kept walking she approached her door and opened it. "Just like home as plain as can be" She observed.

The room had a single bed, a desk with lamp and seat, a builtin cupboard and a small bathroom attached to it. "Comfy" she slid her pack next to the door and walked in.

"So old girl tell me about Proteus?" Wyoming said following her in.

"Uh that's classified" she asnwered turning to face him.

"Surely a women of your beauty could tell dear Wyoming here?" He suggested.

Unbeleivable! Seventeen felt pissed! She had been here three minutes had they were already pumping her for infomation on her program. Wasn't that her job?

"I can't tell you now leave before I make you" she warned.

"But I really want to know what do your agents do?" he asked.

"Not talking" she crossed her arms.

"Oh but per- ahh!" he screamed. He didn't have time to react as she tackled him to the ground painfully.

"Take a hint and leave me the hell alone!" She warned twisting his arm higher behind his back.

"I don't think she likes your company Wyoming" A voice of a women said.

A soldier in black clad armour came in. Wyoming stood up and dusted himself off then caustiously left. Seventeen still had her arms crossed and faced the soldier.

"You here to ask the same thing?" Seventeen asked.

"Not a chance, heard screaming thought it was South bitching again. Nice tackle by the way" The black clad women complimented.

"Thanks I learnt that in basic. Handy for dealing with annoying british assholes" Seventeen unzipped her pack and started getting her clothes out and placing them in the cupboard.

"What are you doing in freelancer quarters?" Texas asked.

"Seventeen and I don't know the Director located me here." she introduced.

"I know who you are. I'm Texas, what I want to know is why you killed your sergent?" Texas asked and answered.

"Twelve told you huh? I killed him before he got to me" Seventeen answered.

"There' s more to it than that" Texas responded. "Now what?" she continued.

"That's my bussiness if I start trusting you enough I might tell" Seventeen answered.

"You don't trust easy do you?" Texas asked

She laughed then turned to face the freelancer. "I lost someone cause I trusted another to get him safe, only I was wrong and they stabbed me in the back and killed that someone special, so no I don't trust easy Texas" Seventeen answered bitterly.

"It's Tex I like it better" Texas answered.

"Fine Tex. I like Seventeen better than my name so we call each other that then" Seventeen responded.

Texas left and Seventeen stayed in her room for hours unpacking and planning. She had an idea one that was going to be crazy and probably get her killed. But hey she liked the odds of surviving. It was what she did.


	5. Chapter 5 break in

Seventeen changed out of her armour into a black tanktop and matching trackpants. Her traditional workout clothes as usual, she let her silver hair come out of it's ponytail it fell around her face and her fringe got in her way.

Seventeen entered the training room. She went straight to the area that held knives picked them up ad found a target. She kept throwing them practicing different stances.

Training for god knows how long Seventeen just kept going on and on. Pushing further until there was nothing left to push.

A bunch of freelancers she recognised that came onboard the Proteus station entered. They went to the mats and began practising against each other. But she knew she saw them continuing to look at her.

She shifted her wieght onto the right side and spun on that foot very quickly flinging it back then realeasing it, the knife flew straight at the target hitting it perfectly. She went forward and pulled it out of the board it had been stuck in.

"Nice throw" she stood her ground and her hair brushed past on her shoulders.

"Thankyou" Seventeen responded. "Except my spin was a bit off" She informed.

"Couldn't tell can I have your name?" He asked. Her complimentor was wearing purple armour with green one it.

"If you give me yours first" She said flatly.

"I'm North, now you?" he gestured.

"Your going to laugh, most people do when the hear it. It's-" She was cut off by footsteps banging heavily.

"Hey there you are, I got something to show you. Are you coming?" Caboose waved her over.

"Nice to meet you North, guess we'll have to be introduced another time" She smiled placing the knife down on a bench.

Seventeen made her way over to Caboose. "What was I interrupting or don't I want to know?" He asked.

"Probably best you didn't ask" She said giving him a hug.

"That seems to be happening a lot these days" He said as they walked out. She suddenly was interested not letting it show,

"What do you mean?" Seventeen asked.

"Nothing, just something happened with one of the agents being a traitors" He shrugged.

"Oh?" She asked.

"CT, Connecticut was her full name. She went rouge and they're still looking for her" He turned and faced her. "Why is your hair silver? I though you would have given it a dye because that color really doesn't suit you" He noticed.

"It's my natural colour, Caboose. I only dyed it last time we met because I was undercover for our trip," Seventeen responded.

"Oh Bermuda" Caboose turned facing her.

"Oh I loved Bermuda remember when he taught us to drive auto though not stick" Seventeen smirked.

"How is he anyway?" Caboose exclaimed.

The two had taken a holiday at the age of sixteen and ran into this guy at the hotel called Bermuda. He taught them how to drive a warthog illegally and for the fun of it they called themselves different names. Everytime someone said one of those names they swore to ask 'what about Bermuda?'.

"Trying to find his hat, last time I talked to him" Seventeen looked around.

"So where are you taking me?" She asked.

"Just a place with a view" He responded. She looked at him concerned.

"My idea of a view or yours?" She asked. "And should I be scared?" She joked.

"I'll take offense to that and no it's just a view" he said, opening huge doors that lead to the bridge of the ship.

"Wow!" Seventeen raised an eyebrow at Caboose, he lead her down the walkway to the end and she saw a view of so many stars. "I don't know whether to hug you or slap you for reminding me how far from home I am" Seventeen responded adding to her wow.

"I'll take that as a thankyou Caboose you are a god to me" Caboose smirked. Seventeen turned and wacked him on the back of the head. "Okay! Okay not really" He said in self defense.

Seventeen looked outside the window. "You know growing up around the station, I can actually pinpoint planets from maps by looking out a window" She said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah like that one there being a moon" She pointed.

"Seventeen come on. I want to show you the rest of the ship" He held out his arm which she mockingly took.

He showed her the lockers, the training and match rooms, the armoury, the mess and the hanger. "How big is this ship?" She asked.

"I don't know size of a planet" he joked.

They ended the tour back at her room. "Goodnight Caboose" she smiled at him. He mockingly bowed.

"Madam" he smirked before leaving.

Seventeen placed her hand on the door and looked at the lock. Someone had broken in, who would break into her room nothing was in it except her clothes and...Tammy!

Seventeen pulled open the door normally paced, not panicing and kept herself from looking vulnerable. She flickered on the lights and the power had been cut. Great really what she needed at the moment!

"Hello?" She called.

No response. She came forward, something crossed the wall trying to get out, she stood in the middle. Waiting she went over to the desk and started to sit down going through pulling ouut a torch she packed. Looking as normal as possible, the shadow was near the door. She turned the end of the torch and slid out the batteries. Picking it up she threw it at the shadow hearing a thud and a groan from the impact.

"Okay I'm giving you to three to tell me what you're doing in my room?" She asked standing up flicking on the lamp.

"Okay okay take it easy, geeze! The Director asked me to break in to see if you would notice anything," She saw it was a guy in tan armour, apparently had damge to one of his eyes.

"Why?" She asked threatingly.

"I can't orders..." He grumbled standing up.

"You want me to beat you to death with the torch?" Seventeen ordered picking it up and juggling it in one are to the other.

"Okay you don't know how to socialise well. He wanted to see how good of an agent you were. I was halfway into getting into your closet and you came in" The tan guy said defensivly.

"My closet's empty" She responded.

"Why's it locked then?" he asked.

"I wasn't using it so I locked it my clothes are in the bathrooms shelves, who are you anyway?" Seventeen asked interested.

"I could ask you the same thing. York why are you in here?" A women with copper red hair and blue, aqua, turquoise, Seventeen didn't know which shade of blue armour.

"He yours because I don't want him in here" Seventeen pointed for him to leave.

"Hey Carolina I was asked by the Director" He said defensivly from both their glares.

"Which is why orders aren't always a yes sir thing" Seventeen closed the door behind him.

She went over to the desk and underneath it was Tammy's AI chip. Still safe and sound, now to check whether the Director bugged my clothes Seventeen thought heading to the closet.

Good thing she was a perfect liar bad thing that guy York bought that lie to easy and she knew it.


	6. Chapter 6 Don't help me

Seventeen had been at the station for nearly a week and still nothing out of the ordinary. The freelancers trained went to class to learn about AI's and in spare time relaxed. Nothing seemed wrong.

Seventeen entered the mess for the first time without Caboose there talking to her. Aparently he had a 'date' with one of the pilots, called 479er. And she responded to this by saying 'right' sarcastically.

Seventeen lined up for her food, she started listening to the soldiers behind her. "That's her isn't it? The proteus agent?" one whispered.

"According to Wyoming she is. Tried to beat the living crap outta him" Another said.

Seventeen was not in the mood for this. She was really not in a good mood. After going through her clothes after the freelancer York, broke into her room Seventeen found tracking devices on the sleeves of her shirts hidden in the tags.

Two could play this game and so far she had. When training she sometimes joined in when the normal soldeirs sparring, so they wouldn't know what she was made of. Seventeen moved along ignoring others. What she wouldn't give to have her normal armour back.

Picking up her tray she silently thanked the chef and headed to a table she felt someone brush shoulder with her. Whoever it was came back and tapped her shoulder getting Seventeens attention.

"Hey it's North from a few days ago. I still haven't gotten your name" He said. She remembered him oh so well.

"Oh...uh sorry, Seventeen" she said.

"Seventeen what?" He asked confused. She laughed shaking her head, a strand of silver got in her eyes and she blew it away.

"No my name is Seventeen. I know it's strange but..." She trailed off. "What is going on over there?" Seventeen looked over to the corner of the room.

A fight had broken out and looked pretty bad. "Not again!" North moaned.

"This has happened before?" She asked concerned.

"Just a few times, don't worry it'll be over in a few minutes just sta out of the way," he said calmly. Seventeen turned to him in wonder. "Trust me, come on there is more than one spot left" he said.

"Hey give that back!" She said as he grabbed her tray juggling his lunch and her's.

Seventeen did a mother scolding child pose. "Give it back please?" She tried.

North smiled at her. "You don't like people helping you, do you?" He asked.

"I tried being patient and learned it is not a great virtue" Seventeen said finally getting her tray back while he laughed. For some reason North sat with her on a table.

She kept looking at him oddly. "You ok?" North asked.

"Why are you talking to me?" Seventeen asked.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Me and people..not the best combination" she said hesitantly.

"Now why is that something I beleive?" He asked sarcastically.

"Because you only know what all people do of me" She responded.

"So why called Seventeen? Why is it a number?" North asked.

"All agents are given a number instead of a name. For two reasons, one when and if an agent goes rouge or gets tortured they can't reveal anything other than themselves. Also number two, it ranks our skills levels through training and on the battlefield" She answered.

"Well that sucks" he responded.

"Oh god!" She looked the other way to the door.

"What?" North asked. He saw York avoid talking to him and sit with Wash and Maine.

"That guy York, a few nights ago he was caught in my room.I looked through my stuff finding tracking devices and bugs. And I am guessing he knows that I found them" She responded.

"What did you do with the bugs?" North was interested.

"Placed them in various parts of the ships" Seventeen responded.

"Smart" He complimented.


	7. Chapter 7 hey Sixteen

"Seventeen wait up!" Caboose yelled. She and North stopped in the hallway. Seventeen was asking and talking to North about their different projects, though generally she with skill managed to keep it on Project Freelancer. North was really easy to talk to about anything. She had her silver hair loose again and it hung around her shoulders. For some reason she was starting to prefer this hairstyle

"Hey Michael what's wrong?" She asked. He stopped and panted catching his breath.

North looked at her then at him to say, 'What's up?' mentally.

"Look I have no clue what he's doing here but I am really sorry!" Caboose said quickly.

Seventeen gripped his shoulders. "Who is here?" She asked calmly.

"Your..your...brother. That guy who met us on our trip and took you away," Caboose panted catching his breath.

"Where is he?" Seventeen asked.

"I saw him in with the Director. He's here alright!" Caboose bent over catching his breath.

"You're really out of shape" She said to him.

"I ran from one end of the ship to the other! Fuck you!" He panted but Seventeen was already gone, North was running at the same rate as her.

"Seventeen stop! Seventeen!" He grabbed her by the shoulders making her fall over landing on top of him. She akwardly go up and tried to continue but he stopped her in her place despite her struggling.

"I have to seen him trust me this can't wait!" She wanted to get past him.

"No stop, explain" He asked calming her down.

She ran a hand through her silver hair. "My 'brother' as Caboose is putting it is actually another agent and kinda my-" she got cut off by a yell.

"Seventeen!"

"Hey" she saluted, a man in grey armour (A/N All Proteus agents have armour like the one off Mass Effect) came down the hall. He saluted her back, "You know you're not supposed to do that with me, not after I was put on probation and rank removed by Zero" she said.

"You deserve the salute though," He said. "Even if you did a few screwups kiddo" he said.

"Hey I'm not a little kid anymore" she denied him a chance a sniping away her dignity.

"Damn you grew up" he said examining her.

"Okay that was nearly eight years ago, Sixteen" she said.

"Okay how do you two know each other?" North asked interupting their reunion.

"Sixteen this is North Dakota, North this is Sixteen my 'Brother' according to Caboose. But really he's just my old mentor" she said correcting the previous mistake.

"I came here because Zero actually sent you your Proteus armour as well as the new one" he said. "And also something about a mission for you, and pulled out of here until it is complete I was told to get you" he informed her.

"Okay when are we going?" she asked.

"What okay? Your not suprised by any of this?" he asked.

"I've been working on these missions as a personal assassin since I was fifteen, I don't think that allows much time to get suprised unless you count getting a suprise party, in which don't invite me" Seventeen answered.

She said goodbye to North and headed down into the hanger where a create was waiting for her, she opened it and pulled out her dark blue armour. She placed it on quickly and got ready, she read a note that was on the bottom of the create.

'Tammy is gone, we noticed when the alarms to your room didn't go off during a test run and you have been authorised to use her even on The Mother, at anytime you want and find necessary. Zero, P.S good luck' she read it off.

Seventeen smiled. Damn she loved Zero's style sometimes! He understood the complications of a soldier in the field but he also knew her style as well. Goes for the sweet spot and bring hell with her in firepower as he once and quite famously as it is known to have quoted Seventeen on report.

"Ready?" Sixteen asked.

"Yeah by the way if this happens again, the investigations will be called off by Zero. Sending an agent as a liason between two military programs and then taking them out for a different mission and sending them back later will definately cause suspicion" she said.

"Do you think it matters?" he asked

"Who knows" she said.


	8. Chapter 8 did ya miss me?

"So honey did you miss me?" Twelve said while the pelican took them to the LZ.

"No baby, actually I was enjoying the peace and decided that I could use more breaks from now on" Seventeen teased.

"You owe me one for missing the party" he said.

"Believe me, I can think of plenty of ways" Seventeen answered.

"How are the freelancers?" Twelve asked.

"Umm…assholes" they both laughed. "I think me pointing that out is obvious" she added.

"We're dropping off smoke buoy's to distract anything out there so they stay away from you two while you search" Sixteen told her taking control of the pelican.

"What do you mean 'distract anything'? I thought this area was supposed to be abandoned" Seventeen said.

"It was obviously something stayed behind though" Twelve said.

"Is the atmosphere breathable?" She asked.

"Yes but watch out, some contamination from the bombs around here might still be active" Sixteen told her.

"So basically don't breathe unless you have to" Seventeen joked.

They dropped off at an abandoned battlefield, "So where is the objective?" Sixteen asked.

"Rescue an AI that is trapped in an old host. Bring it back in one piece and make sure it still functions, remember no insurrection can see us" Seventeen answered.

Twelve jumped off with her, while Agent Sixteen had the skies.

"Sixteen, you watch our backs" she said into her earpiece.

"Loud and clear, I have eyes- what the fuck was that?" He said. Seventeen heard him tapping away at the piloting controls.

"Captain we have unknown vehicle's inbound" he alerted,

"Who?" She asked as a response.

"No clue but beware they're close" he said.

"As is the ghosts" Twelve said.

They approached a few cliffs overlooking a carnage sight of battle, corpses and a few odd limbs lying here and there. Twelve turned away at the sight, Seventeen just kept looking with a disgusted feeling growing in her stomach.

"I think I'm going to be sick" he said.

He bent over and retched Seventeen placed a hand on his shoulder. She deeply and frequently on missions felt sympathy for him; he didn't understand the leftovers of war. Not like she had.

"This was left over from the Great War, don't worry there are plenty of worse battlefields than this. Just keep breathing and going" Seventeen said calmly.

"Thanks Captain" he said.

Seventeen flashed him a rare understanding smile; they continued their way climbing down the cliffs walking among the bodies. Seventeen kept her eyes on her wrist scanner, she previously programmed it to tell her of something was wrong or to set her to the objective.

"How much further are you going?" Twelve's voice came through on her earpiece.

"A few clicks or so, why?" she asked keeping her gun steady.

"That signal is getting closer; they're heading in your direction. Just keep your eyes open, also as a need to know the buoys timer has run out," Sixteen said.

"Not a problem" Seventeen answered. "Let's move it double time!" she ordered as they began to pick up the pace through the cliffs.

Seventeen and Twelve stopped outside bigger battlefield wreckage that had been left to rot. They looked around, Seventeen checked her scanner again.

"Where is it?" Twelve asked.

Seventeen slowly walked adjusting the scanner, it beeped to the right of her, Seventeen quickly turned and kept darting her eyes to the ground and to the scanner. "According to this right here" She said bending over and crouching near a body, slowly she turned it over and the person inside the armours visor was smashed so she could see the skeleton that resided inside.

"AI, activate controller nine-five-seven designation protocol alpha-delta-beta" she said.

An AI in the form as an ancient roman soldier came up. He flickered a bit before coming steady. "I…I am... not fully…operational" he said flickering even more.

"Deactivate, don't worry we'll get you out of here" she said. Picking out her tool kit Seventeen started to take away the AI holder at the base of the dead soldier's armour.

"We will but you won't" a cold voice said, Seventeen heard a gun lock a clip in place.

"Hello Carolina" She said turning around flashing a cocky grin. Seventeen placed her hands on her hips slowly reach behind for the two pistols that lay in their holsters. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"You have something that belongs to freelancer" Carolina said bitterly.

"Oh that's such a cliché" Sixteen said into her ear hearing the conversation, Seventeen smirked and pulled out her gun shooting Carolina's arm.

"Relax Carolina it's just a sleeping dart, which only cuts off your hands abilities to work for a few hours" Seventeen called over her shoulder. "Oh yeah Sixteen where is the rest of her team? I want them pinpointed" She said.

"Gottcha, they're dealing with the insurrection in the canyon twenty clicks away from you, which explains why they haven't come after us when the times ran off" Sixteen answered.

"Thanks for the update"

"Hand over the AI, no one gets hurt" Carolina continued.

"Twelve, do us all a favour, shut her up" Seventeen said turning away and finally extracting the AI data chip.

"Pleasures all mine, hey Seventeen what do you call a freelancer agent whose name is-" he said getting cut off by a frequency on the radio.

"We gotta get out get out of here now! We need to run otherwise we're screwed" Sixteen screeched into her ear. Seventeen looked at the sky long enough to see it go the darkest shade of purple she ever feared.

"Oh shit! Run!" Seventeen ordered them.


	9. Chapter 9 memories

Seventeen rolled and hit the ground, yelping in pain. Her vision became blurred, the last thing she saw was a covanent ship firing, before running and hitting the ground after pushing Twelve and Carolina along. Her mind filled with memories that she wasn't sure she wanted to remember. Anger, Guilt, Isolation, Hatred. All of these were emotions she was based around, it made her sick though when she lost her temper for no reason, but then wasn't she always supposed to be in control?

Rage had caused it like the accident with Seventy five. She fought and was aggressive because that was her flaw. It made her reckless on a battlefield and it showed in her mental and physical results, she knew that had made her even worse, she blinked and rolled back into the past.

_She sat on the staircase holding her arm, her arm was sore and had blood trailing off it, no doctors on the colony would be paid if they treated her. That was if she had been allowed treatment in the first place, her silver hair was damp from the coolness of the ice colony and it made her starlight blue eyes shine. _

_Men in black suits come to the front door, they entered without permission, just barged in. She sat watching on the staircase, holding onto a teddy and around six years old. They came into the lounge where her father was...drunk again, even when he was sober, he ignored and neglected her. _

_For exaple he'd thrown her by her arm against a wall and shattered the bone because she asked him where her mother was so it hurt when she couldn't move it and had taken refuge on the staircase. He hadn't been this bad , sure he got drunk but never hurt her like this since her mother ran off. _

_She heard a scream. "Take the bastard child! She's just the ghost of her fucked up mother!" Her father screamed._

_The child heard a gunshot and was terrified, the men came to the staircase, one had a bag with medical kit. "He can't hurt you now, please come with us?" he asked holding out his hand. _

_The child reached out but realised it was her shattered arm. She bit her lip and screamed a little in pain. The man looked at her shoulder and gently removed her oversized jumper that kept her warm at the cold nights in her colony. They winced at the pain she had been enduring._

_"Let's get that fixed and come on let's go someplace warm" One of the men quietly and gently picked her up. The child yawned from being up so long in fear. She fell asleep gently in this man's arms. _

Seventeen woke up with a start. She was in the back of the pelican on a medical cot, she shook her head and woke herself up. Seventeen nearly had to slap herself to stop going back to sleep. Twelve was there snoring his head off and Sixteen was driving the pelican, she gently pushed herself off the cot and headed to front of the Pelican.

"Hey glad you're up, like my new co-pilot?" Sixteen greeted her.

Seventeen looked and saw Carolina piloting in the spare seat, eyes focused on controls. "...I don't...I can't...this is...it's just..." she couldn't find the right words to say this sentance.

Carolina turned to face her. "We need to get a few things straightened out" she blunty put before turning around. "The Director said that insurrection would only be there and with things that happened with CT...you can understand why we thought you were insurrection" that's all she said.

Seventeen turned to Sixteen who noticed a bit of her discomfort. "You okay?" He asked. She shook her head in response, "Okay what's wrong then?" he asked.

"Just some unpleasant dreams before I joined Proteus" she answered.

"It was him again wasn't it?" Sixteen accused.

Seventeen sighed deeply knowing he wouldn't stop without his answer. "I just...can't get him out of there" Seventeen looked at her left shoulder again, remembering the scar that had been left there after her father's abuse.

"He's gone now...he can't hurt you anymore" Sixteen said, Seventeen looked at him and smiled reassuringly.

"I know that, I'm just glad I'm not there anymore. We heading back to the Proteain station?" she asked slangly and too grouchy from being asleep so long.

"Yeah the freelancer and her friends are greeting us there" Sixteen alerted her.

"Oh boy" she mumbled taking a spare seat.

"You can say that again" He told her.

"No not that, I just realised I don't get paid enough to do this and you don't get paid enough to learn when to shut up" she caused him to laugh.

"Know that's the Seventeen I know a bitch if she wakes up to early or late" Sixteen smirked.

Her mind etched back to Caboose, wondering what he was doing with Project Freelancer, she didn't have a clue. Hell all she was doing there in the first place was to investigate whether they posed as a threat. That was the point in Proteus, not just another silver bullet and shield for the human race. But they were an agency preparing to do anything for their objective and the rules never applied to them. Insurection or UNSC didn't have a say with them, it almost made them sound like freelancers, they weren't them they were just...amazing at getting the job done when they had to.

Seventeen went back to the cot and lay down in memory of something, a training exercise or a retrieval.

_She was doing a training excersise, running along the streets blending in with the people. She saw a teenager at a cafe, with a spare seat. Lucky he was her informant, otherwise he would be a target._

_Her mind stretched back everything she knew on him, his name, Michael J Caboose. _

_Present age, 17 date of birth 23/5/2538. (it never actually says the date on RV'sB so I made it up)_

_Blood Type: A+ posative._

_ All on his file. And she read it._

_She joined him on the table and ordered a coffee. "Where is it?" She demanded him, not yelling but not whispering either._

_Going out of hiding for this? And she thought she would have better things to do. _

_"Where is what, agent?" he played with her. Damnit Caboose!_

_"Caboose this is my job, I can't have you destroying it. ONI isn't happy with me as it is. Apparently a rouge runaway spartan isn't something that they get a lot of and they are getting ready to send him after you!" She warned._

_"I didn't think One wanted anything to do with me, not after the last stunt he pulled with Vector squad," Caboose told her._

_"If One is after you, he'll kill you and... you know I can't stop that. Not even if I wanted to. Please give it back?" She half begged him._

_"Why is it so important? It__'s only an AI artifact that's broken" he pouted._

_"Caboose that AI artifact is going to be tested on me, they want to see if it's possible to make an AI without cloning a person's brain and I'm first in line" She told him._

_He looked into her eyes. They were one of her best features, starlight blue. Striking and gentle when required, and this was required. "I'm not giving it back until you are a hunded percent safe and it will definetly cure your hallucinations. Please S-" _

_"No you are giving it back. Right now!" She half growled at him._

_"And lose you, you realise that if they make you an AI it could take over your whole entire head" _

_"They've started the process Zero deemed it nessacery that I retrieve it, please don't make me hurt you Caboose. I don't want to hurt again not after last time with Seven" she said._

Her voice in her head echoed into the present. Seventeen looked again out the window as they docked at the station. "Hmm... not like Seven was with hurting me" she whispered to herself.


	10. Chapter 10 Irish pub

**A/N: Hey readers, thanky you for reading this story, if you think I am lacking something could you please send in something and tell me what I should do, and if there should be any flamers or beatdowns for this. Thankyou and don't forget to R&R**

**Ace5andBlad3s**

Twelve promised to drop off the AI for Seventeen. Being shot at by a cruiser definatly wasn't on her list of things to do that day and she had certainly drawn the line with it.

Seventeen did the first thing that came to her mind when they arrived at the station, get drunk and make sure she got a hangover from it. Lucky they had a bar on the station, usually with most projects like this they wouldn't be allowed and would be declared against regulations as a distraction.

Lucky for her, her boss was awsome when it came to breaking regs. Literally!

Zero actually encouraged the bar area, wait that was wrong and only half the reason why he allowed it other than to blow off steam from a previous mission. Actually the reason he encouraged it was because the fighting ring they placed in the middle of it.

They had the bar on the side with a few tables and some of the agents came down and did polka like folk songs, placed bets on the winner's even drinking contests. Seventeen actually enjoyed watching the playful fights between agents, they never got deeply life threatening, and they played by tribal rules, if your dogtags got selected out of the box they had at the side. Lucky they all got their dogtags back or they would be screwed.

The dogtags they wore allowed them to acess wherever they wanted to go in the station that was theirs, for example if an agent wanted to get into their room, they waved a dogtag infront of it and a holographic sensor activated it opening it for them, this applied to getting their armour, food from the chefs, training room acess, the works.

Anyway tribunal rules were this...

Land three punches unblocked by you opponet if you had the higher number and if you had the lowest and in the ring bring your opponet to the ground, it looked unfair but truly they were evenly matched.

The two agents in the ring had to strip down to be light and so if any injuries were bad they could be seen, boys wore no tops just track pants, girls track pants and black sports bra. It set it off like an Irish pub, she thought not intending to be racist.

Seventeen quickly changed out of her armour into casual spare clothes that she borrowed from the supply area, since she took all she had with her to the MOI. Soft black pants and grey tanktop, no shoes and armour or weapons such as knives and guns were allowed in the ring, and that suited her just fine.

Seventeen sat on a barstool watching with a smirk on her face and heavily drinking on a beer she ordered, Eighty three vs Twenty two no brainer, Twenty two was faster, but Eighty three wieghed and tackled more. Seventeen rolled her neck and enjoyed the show, she may have never been attached to things, but this was definately her home.

"So what goes on down here?" A voice called behind her, she turned to see Agent North lookig around leaning against the bar.

"You know there are over fifty people in here, yet you picked me out easily" Seventeen said a bit concerned.

"I'm good with a sniper, plus no one has silver hair like yours" he said.

"It's my mothers. Got it from her and the eyes are my bastard father" she answered him.

"Didn't like him much?" North asked over the loud music.

"Guy was an asshole" she pointed out laughing as he tried to drink a beer on one of the barstools and nearly falling off, they were never the safest thing in the world to sit on, but they definatly got your balance up when you needed it.

"So why do you guys get a bar?" He asked interested.

"Okay hard to explain but, Zero my boss thinks it increases morale, and also it gives the agents a chance to relax. It's also one of the favourite parts on the station you can go and you don't get asked anything cause no one frankly gives a damn. Their just here to have a good time" she answered

"Seventeen, Seventy-five get your asses up here" one of the agents announced. Seventeen gave a rare coky grin to North as she got up from her stool.

"Tell you what North, next round is on me" She flipped him a coin she had been holding onto and playing with.

Seventeen took of her tank top and walked into the ring, climbing over the small walls they made so no one could step in and injure the opposition without being seen to win a bet, she performed a fighting stance at Seventy five.

He was pissed at her and Seventeen knew why, being betrated infront of others wasn't good for you ever if you were an agent of Proteus.

Seventy five make the first move at her, she blocked his blind jab, that he made at her, no count on his three strikes, then she threw her left fist at his face she slammed her hands over his ears. Seventy five swung his right side at her, she elbow blocked it and went for a body shot.

As a reflex Seventy five went for a left which was too far off and she blocked easily. Still no count on Seventy Five, Seventeen stayed light on her feet moving quickly side to side.

She noticed Zero come in, he waved her over and she held up a finger to say 'just a minute' back at him.

He signalled back 'make it quick' and Seventeen rolled her eyes.

Zero looked tired as he usually was running the whole project, but happy, it was rare he saw her in the ring. Even rarer that he actually cheered her on, since favouritism was so discouraged.

Seventeen turned back to the fight at hand waiting for Seventy five to catch his breath before she finished this match.

Seventeen hit the bottom of his jaw fracturing his cheek along the way she punched at his hard stomach making his ribs crack with her right hand and repunched with her left throwing him off, then Seventeen threw a punch at his jaw dislocating it out of place. She lifted her knew and sent him back against the ring's wall.

She turned to the watcher who were cheering and gave a quick mocking curtsy before shouting out "Opa!" In greek saying 'cheers'. Everyone actually did cheer and shout as was encouragement. Moral indeed...

Seventeen headed out and towards Zero who gave her a towel because she was covered in sweat and they headed out into the hallway. She brushed the last of the sweat away behind her neck.

"What's up?" she asked.

His answer shocked her, Seventeen truely didn't have a clue how this could have happened. "The UNSC is deciding whether or not to have you arrested for treason or whether to kill you on sight".


	11. Chapter 11 Difference

"What do you mean arrest me for treason?" She asked.

Zero shook his head, "You entered a war free zone, breaking a treaty with the locals of the planet" he answered.

"Treaty? How can they have a peace treaty inside a battlefield? How the hell does that even work, Sir" Seventeen asked.

"I don't know I am trying to organise a-" Seventeen cut him off despite being rude, she was pissed off!

"Why the hell did you even send me to investigate in this anyway if all I get to do, is asked who I work for?" She demanded. "And this, this is ridiculous! I do my job right and I can't go anywhere without someone asking who the hell I am, because I don't even know my real name since you decided to take me away from the colony! Hell you even went far enough to kill my father Zero, just to get me. Why do you even want me? I kill people for a living and enjoy it!"

"Seventeen!" he barked calming her down, She stopped clenching her fist. She sighed deeply and turned her head the other way not looking at him. They sat in a few awkward minutes.

"I'm sorry, Sir I just...I don't know anymore" she bit her lip.

"Seventeen do you remember why you got that name?"

"Because it's my skill ranking Sir" she answered.

"No I gave you that name because I thought you needed the challenge of becoming an agent before legal age. Yet even though you were inexperienced, you did the best of everything ever given to you, at the age of seventeen. That made you special. You're an amazing agent, Seventeen don't you dare waste that on anyone" Zero said one of the nicest things to her that she would probably ever hear.

"So what about the freelancers? Why meet them face to face instead of a distance?" Seventeen asked.

"Sometimes it's better to get personal and close than it is to get acquainted from afar and you have been the best so you got the job, as for the meeting it was to insure that you are not to be held responsible for anything that happens if Freelancer really is illegal" He dismissed her.

Seventeen didn't feel like going back into the bar, in frank she wanted to go scream at something. She just started wondering up and down the halls and passages of the station, it was the only way she knew they could pass the time until the Mother Of Invention came to collect the agents. Seventeen sighed and sat down in the middle of an empty corridor.

She heard footstep approaching as someone sat down next to her, she gave a tight-lipped smile at him, North looked at her before saying anything.

"Rough time, hey" He guessed.

Seventeen nodded and pulled her legs up to her chest hugging them. "Zero ordered me to keep a low profile, at least until the smoke clears off," she answered.

"Why? What happened?" He asked.

Seventeen bit her lip, "I broke a peace treaty in the middle of a warzone, that's enough to make me get arrested or shot by the UNSC" she answered.

"How does one break a treaty there?" He chuckled at her.

Seventeen shook her head smirking, "Not sure but I did get to shoot Carolina in the process, so either she called the complaint or I'm really unlucky at seeing camera's" She answered.

"Don't like shooting at distances? Or seeing things like that?" he asked.

"Not my specialty, I hate sniping. Can't hit the target at distances" she said. "Reason I prefer getting close to my targets and why I always try and take a sniper specialist with me on those missions" she added.

"Well your fighting stance in the bar, that says a lot about it" he said.

"That" she pointed to the bar, "That was showing off. Ever seen the movie Sherlock homes? I used the moves from the pub on Seventyfive because it was my favourite part of all time" She said.

"You fought with stuff off a movie? Did you bang your head?" North asked concerned.

"No just when I was younger I wanted to know how to fight like that. I absoultely loved the detective and his friend going around solving cases and started practasing matrial arts at ten so I could pull those moves, Zero said it was the funniest thing ever when he caught me beating up a teddy" Seventeen saw his smile falter.

"How old were you when you joined Proteus?" He questioned.

"Fifteen, yeah yeah I was underage but no one really cared around here. I actually lived on the station since I was seven under foster of the SPARTAN program, and mainly under Zero's legal guardianship." she shrugged.

"So he raised you?" North asked.

"Kind of, everyone here did. When I hit seventeen I got my name and Zero made me an agent because ONI owed him a favour so he called it for me. So I kind of look up to him as a father" Seventeen nooded.

"What does that have to do with Sherlock Holmes?" He asked.

"You asked how old I was when I joined Proteus, before that we were talking about Sherlock Holmes" She answered smirking at his question.

"I've never seen the movie" North told her, Seventeen looked at him suprised.

"Your kidding me! This is a disaster, what do you do in your spare time?" She questioned pretending to be outraged, which made him laugh at her.

"How's you see it, if you've spent most of your life here?" he asked. "And know Caboose?" North added.

Seventeen leaned her head against the wall, "I asked to join a high school and met Caboose at the school, he was my first freind around my age. He took me to the movies one night and we saw it, the exact same night Zero showed up and tried to take me away. Caboose asked I stay even after he found out about my life, not caring about the program and looked after me. When it came to meeting people because we were opposite I could never socialise will people as well as he could" Seventeen answered.

She traced the scar on her shoulder, North noticed it. "What's that?" he asked.

"A gift from my father who tried to kill me" Seventeen answered.

"You must of had it rough back then" North realised the abusivness she must have suffered.

"Compared to the others I was lucky because of Zero" she answered.


End file.
